Abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan

On 29 November, the Lahore High Court blocked the government from pardoning Aasiya Noreen, a Christian Pakistani woman accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad. A few days earlier, extremist groups protested on the streets of the Pakistani city of Lahore and threatened anarchy in the event that the government grants her clemency. The blasphemy laws that Aasiya is up against were introduced under the Zia regime, and have not been repealed largely due to fears of being “Un - islamic” . Repealing them is an important first steps towards working for a more democratic culture in Pakistan.